BS@50: From limited broadband to booming digital landscape in 5 decades

The rapid evolution of technology is a hallmark of the 21st century. This continuous cycle of change reshapes industries and creates new business opportunities. New technologies emerge frequently, pushing the boundaries of what is possible. This relentless progression demands that businesses stay agile and adapt to new technologies to keep up with emerging innovations.

Role of India’s IT industry

Technological advancements have enabled India to expand its prowess and showcase its capabilities in every segment. It began with mainframe maintenance, and the western companies largely ignored us. It then extended into client-server technologies, navigated the Y2K scare, embraced the internet, and adopted various digital technologies like cloud computing, low code/no code platforms, edge computing, the Internet of Things (IoT), hardware engineering, and biotechnology. The information technology (IT) industry grew in stealth mode. In a brief period, offshore execution from India had become essential to software projects worldwide. We also moved beyond cost arbitration to recognition for our quality and skills.

Future of tech transformation

Every industry has been techified, leading to the emergence of sectors such as edutech, fintech, biotech, healthtech, and energytech. The latest transformational change has been the development of “as a service” models like Infrastructure-as-a- Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), which are pioneering new markets by offering online services where you pay as you consume. Healthcare, in particular, is experiencing some of the most significant shifts with online monitoring and diagnostic tools revolutionising patient care by enabling personalised treatment, and proactive health management.

Evolution of AI

The journey of artificial intelligence (AI) began in the 1950s when AI was just a fledgling concept. In the 1990s, machine learning gained traction, leading to the rise of big data and neural networks in the early 2000s. AI has become an integral part of technology and everyday life. We now have it on our phones (chatbots and virtual  assistants), powering self-driving cars, and enhancing airport security through facial recognition technology.

Built on deep learning and large language models (LLMs), generative AI creates text, images, videos and audio virtually indistinguishable from human-created content. This latest iteration of AI technology has catalysed the creation of diverse applications and use cases. These innovations can be seamlessly adapted across various industries and sectors, fundamentally altering the engagement with technology and reshaping interpersonal interactions. Gen-AI has become the most transformational force in the last 40 years of the IT industry. Today, every IT company wants its stake in the ground on Gen-AI. Infosys has announced an AI-first strategy. We have created a dedicated business unit for Gen-AI at Happiest Minds.

For a company like Happiest Minds, born in the digital era, digital technology helped us establish our position as ‘Born Digital. Born Agile’. This is another feature of the IT industry. Technology changes help a new entrant take the high ground and establish leadership compared to older companies. At Happiest Minds, we could do this dramatically when the IoT emerged. We quickly developed our own framework as we didn’t have to worry about compatibility with legacy solutions.

Seamless transition

In the early 1990s, the only broadband-leased line in India was with Texas Instruments. I remember asking Bobby Mitra, Texas Instruments’ India head, whether we could share the line. He was willing, but the Department of Electronics’ rules did not allow that. Also, in the early days of email, I thought that I could increase my productivity by downloading email at home. The serial link was painfully slow and would also get interrupted frequently. It is fascinating to see how dramatically the communication scenario changed thereafter. With the advent of wireless (dongles) and wired (optic fibre cables) technologies, broadband became ubiquitous.

By the time Covid-19 struck, everyone was well- prepared. The enhanced communication infrastructure helped avert major disruptions, allowing for a smooth transition to remote work. Communication was so seamless that when we established Happiest Minds in 2011, we said that everyone could work from home one day a week. Many people thought that this was foolhardy for a startup, but we quickly demonstrated that quality and productivity were unaffected. The result is that when Covid-19 came, it took Happiest Minds just two days to shift to 100 per cent remote working from home.

Mitigating cyber threats

In tandem with this technological evolution, addressing cybersecurity has become crucial as the dependence on technology grows. Cybersecurity measures are essential to protect against malware, phishing, and ransomware. Utilising various  tech solutions — such as encryption, firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and AI — helps predict and counter these threats. However, relying solely on technology isn’t enough; educating users and promoting secure digital habits are equally important. This combination of advanced technological defences and informed user practices forms the foundation of a robust cybersecurity strategy, protecting personal, corporate, and national digital assets.

We in the IT industry are both technology providers and users. We must be paranoid, as cybercriminals are ready to unleash denial-of-service attacks. Even the largest institutions and technology companies have experienced embarrassing outages and the theft of customer data.

The road ahead

The tempo of change shows no signs of slowing down. As the rhythm shifts, so do the opportunities and hurdles.

With so much change already, what could lie ahead? First, look out for quantum computing, which solves problems too complex for existing computers by applying the laws of quantum mechanics. Then, there is biological computing, which uses biological materials like DNA and proteins to perform digital computations through metabolic pathways.

For India, leading the charge in technology adoption remains paramount. Our meticulously crafted blueprint ensures agility, allowing us to weather the storm and flourish.

Ashok Soota is Executive Chairman, Happiest Minds